Can-opener.



PATENTED AUG. 1, 1905.

G. c. PARISH. CAN OPENER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12.15104.

monew. a (mum :04. PHOIO-LYYHDGRAPNERS. WASHIHGYON. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GRAHAM C. PARISH, OF KINGSTON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE W. BROWNE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF KINGSTON, NEW YORK, A

CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CAN-OPENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1, 1905.

Original application filed March 24, 1904, Serial No. 199,682. Divided and this application filed November 12, 1904. Serial To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GRAHAM C. PARISH. a citizen of the United States, residing at Kingston, in the county of Ulster and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Openers, of which the following is a' specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings,

which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to can-openers, and more particularly to a class thereof especially ,adapted for general or household use.

The subject-matter of this application is divided from an application of mine filed in the United States Patent Oflice upon the 24th day tudinally of the surface being cut or laterally thereof in a manner to occasion an irregular and ragged cut or such unstability in use as will prevent a rapid opening of a can or endanger the hand of the user through the said fulcrum failing to bite well into the metal of the can.

The invention consists in providing a canopener comprising a lever-handle, a cuttingblade projected forwardly thereof, and a fulcrum-head parallel with and extending above said blade, consisting of a shank, a laterallyextended fore part having downwardly-projected side prongs, narrow overhung front flanges thereon, and a connecting narrow overhung frontal flange, said frontal flange above said bladebeing cut away and said prongs being provided with an angular notch adjacent to said cut-away portion, and in such other novel features of construction as are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a can-opener embodying I my invention, illustrating its use in removing the top from a round can by cutting through the side metal of the can. view illustrating its use in removing the top of a similar can by cutting said top within said side metal. Fig. 3 is an enlarged front ,view of the fulcrum-head, and Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The preferred form of the invention comprises a handle a, formed of sheet metal, carrying the fulcrum-head 6, which may be made separately therefrom and attached thereto by rivets passing through its shank Z) or integral therewith, as desired. In the form of the invention shown I pivotally mount an auxiliary tool, as the corkscrew 0, within said handle; but this feature forms no part of the present invention.

The-fulcrum-head b is preferably stamped or formed up from sheet metal and comprises a shank I), by means of which a joind er or attachment thereof to the handle a is effected, and a laterally-extended fore part f, the opposite sides of which are formed into downwardlyprojected prongs g it, having narrow overhung front and side flanges thereto, and the front of which is formed into a connecting overhung narrow frontal flange '5, extending across the entire front of the fulcrum-head between said front flanges of the said side prongs. The cutting-blade d is mounted in the handle a so as to.

extend parallel with and below the fulcrumhead, with a small space between these members and with the point of said blade projecting beyond the overhung frontal flange '5. Di-

rectly above this blade the flange i is cut away or recessed, as at i, and on each side of and adjacent to this cut-away portion I form in the front flange of each side prong g and h an angular notch, as g h, presenting narrow guide, bearing, and gripping surfaces at substantially right angles to each other. These notches in addition to presenting lateral guides in the front of each prong to facilitate a side cutting with the utensil also give agood bite to prevent slipping of the fulcrum. The lower edge of the sides of the prongs'g 7b is rounded longitudinally to present a rolling hearing when these points contact with the can.

If it be desired to open a can at the top, as indicated in Fig. 2, the blade 01 is forced Fig. 2 is a similar through the top of the can adjacent to the edge thereof until the central recessed portion of this action. The blade having been projected to its full length beneath the can-top, the bandle a is raised, thus placing considerable pressure upon the narrow overhung recessed frontal flange 71, by reason of which said flange at once bites into the edge of the can and holds the position of the fulcrum against all movement which would tend to limit the quantity of cut of the blade. One side prong l1 rests upon the top of the can and serves to steady the can-opener when in use, avoiding possibility of the utensilslipping sidewise, and owing to the rounded end of the side flange thereof the oscillations of the handle are confined to a single fulcrum. To complete the operation of opening the can, the handle is repeatedly oscillated witha forward thrust each time to accomplish the proper feeding movement. If, however, it be desired to open a can by cutting around the side thereof just below the top, as indicated in Fig. 1, the blade is forced through the side metal of the can and the angle of the-notch it is fitted to the top edge of the can, thus presenting guide-bearings to both the top and the side of the can as well as the offset guide formed by the prong g. The overhung front flange of the prong /L, in which is the notch h, firmly grips or bites the edge of the can when the lever-handle a is being brought upward to effect the cut, thus preventing slipping. The opening of the can is completed as when the top is removed.

It has been found in actual use that the construction of fulcrum-head in a can-opener, as herein described, permits a rapid, even, and regular cut to be made without likelihood of the blade slipping in a manner to endanger the user, and also permits the can to be opened by a side cutting, the can after the insertion of the blade being stood upon end, if desired.

It is not my intention to limit theinvention to the precise details of construction as herein shown and described, as these may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is-

1. A can-opener comprising a lever-handle, a cutting-blade projected forwardly thereof, and a fulcrum-head parallel with and above said blade comprising a shank, a laterally-extended fore part consisting of downwardlyprojected side prongs provided with a narrow overhung front flange, and a connecting narrow overhungfrontal flange,said frontal flange above said blade being cut away and said prongs being provided with an angular notch adjacent to said cut-away portion.

2. A can-opener comprising a lever-handle, a cutting-blade projected forwardly thereof, and a fulcrum-head parallel with and above said blade. comprising a shank, a laterally-extended fore part consisting of downwardlyprojected side prongs, provided with narrow overhung front and side flanges, and a connecting narrow overhung frontal flange, said frontal flange above said blade being cut away, said prongs being provided with an angular notch adjacent to said cut-away portion, and said side flanges being rounded on their lower ends.

3. A can-opener comprising a lever-hamlle, a cutting-blade projected forwardly thereof, and a sheet-metal fulcrum-head parallel with and above said blade comprising a shank, and a laterally-extended fore part formed up so as to present downwardly-projected side prongs provided with narrow front and side flanges, and a connecting narrow overhung frontal flange, said frontal flange above said blade being cut away, said prongs being provided with an angular notch adjacent to said cut away portion, and said side flanges being rounded on their lower ends.

In witness whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature, this 4th day of November, 1904, in the presence of two witnesses.

GRAHAM C. PARISH.

.Witnesses:

V. B. VAN WAeoNnN, HELEN A. Jones. 

